CHARITY APPEAL TO PROVIDE LIFELINE FOR THE VULNERABLE
Most of us are lucky enough to have someone to talk to, someone to reassure us in these uncertain, worrying times.
But some Scots are alone in the lockdown, forced to cope on their own with the fears the rest of us can share.
And for many elderly, who are, of course, most at risk from Covid-19, living alone, with no one to turn for help, advice or just a friendly word, life can become unbearable.
It’s been inspiring to see communities and charities across the country rallying round to help our most vulnerable during these troubling times.
And today, we are asking Sunday Post readers – famously bighearted – to help fund and strengthen a hotline that will reach out to those who are most in need.
National charity Age Scotland has been swamped with hundreds of callers looking for words of comfort or guidance and has now launched a Friendship Calls initiative. Ten volunteers have so far been enlisted to make follow-up calls to people flagged by the charity’s operators as needing extra support or, often, just a blether.
Brian Sloan, Age Scotland’s CEO, said: “The money raised by Sunday Post readers will allow us to double the number of calls we can answer on our helpline, and so vastly increase the number of Friendship Calls we can make every week to those in need.
“Just £10 will ensure that two people receive a Friendship Call. It will also ensure this service is there for our older vulnerable people, for not just days or weeks but in the months to come.”
He revealed calls to the charity’s helpline had increased tenfold from 70 per week to 700 in the past two weeks alone.
He said: “People have been phoning for information and advice but actually we’ve been finding that about onethird of these calls are people wanting to chat and hear a reassuring voice.
“One caller told us they hadn’t spoken to another person for two weeks. We need to remember that tens of thousands of older people are having to stay at home because they are most vulnerable to this virus. Thousands of them will already have felt lonely and isolated, and will only feel more secluded as this crisis continues. We have to make sure that we are there for them.”
The Scottish Government has tasked Age Scotland with taking 1,500 calls a week. While it can give callers important information, including advice on accessing food and medical prescriptions, the need to keep isolated people socially connected has become paramount. As well as the mental health impact, studies have linked acute loneliness to high blood pressure, heart disease and obesity, increasing mortality by 10%. It is also linked to a weakened immune system, leaving lonely older people at greater risk of infection.
Even before the Covid-19 pandemic, 100,000 older Scots had admitted to feeling lonely, while 200,000 would go for several days without receiving a visit or a phone call.
With strict self-isolation measures keeping older Scots confined to
their homes, loneliness could have a devastating impact on many people’s health and wellbeing.
Edinburgh-based psychotherapist Ronen Stilman explained: “When we are isolated, we become withdrawn physically and then psychologically.
“That can lead to things like depression and anxiety but also the unintentional reduction of selfcare. People could stop eating or following good hygiene practices, which is so important right now.
There’s also an increased risk of psychosis – our connection to reality. Isolation can exacerbate this, so you could potentially see an acceleration of things like dementia.
“But regular contact with others can help to bring a person’s body and mind into rhythm, as they are required to focus on the present.
“Establishing a human, social connection is incredibly important because it can greatly reduce stress and anxiety, which is why something like a friendly phone call can make such a big difference to vulnerable people.”